Gone Astray
by Proximina
Summary: After the humiliating defeat from Sonic, the Deadly six take refuge in Eggman's former base of operations on the planet Hex, planning revenge against those who have opposed them. But when the group encounters a former member of their group, will their motive change for the better? (Some OCs. Also OC X Canon pairings)
1. Seeking refuge

_Edited the first chapter, be sure to read! Now, this takes place nearly a week after the events of Sonic: The Lost Hex._

Zavok's POV

It had only been one week. A single week spent for our wounds to heal from the battle. Seven days to regain our place as a native species of the planet. Being so long with a master that used us for his plans, had of course taken a heavy toll on the survival skills we once knew beforehand. Because of that, it was presumed at the time that by gaining back our independence from him, and adopting a plan to destroy another world, would make up for the that. Oh how fate was full of twists and turns.

Fate had decided to give the victory to the foreigner, ad leave us with lost dignity and pride, including wounds that made the facts even more of a constant reminder. It had left us tired, weary from the defeat, and ashamed from the unexpected loss. On top of that, we were left alone to face a world that had very much changed.

Before the strange arrivals, we had traversed this land without fear. We knew it like the back of our hand, and were unchallenged by the creations of nature. But once Eggman came with his technology and plans to dominate, the changed began. It was at first a slow and gradual sort of change, due to the certain resources he began stripping from our land, it was almost unnoticeable. A small amount of trees disappeared, small quakes had occurred, but all at the time had no permanent affect on the ecosystem. That was until he left the planet, did these changes become drastic. What was once a few trees gone, had become a wide expanse of the forest disappear and decay, with no guarantee of returning. The intensity of every earthquake had risen exponentially, and for every quake that took place, lands were ripped apart, long and deep chasms, along with cliffs had formed as a result. Truly, we were left to wander a world unrecognized, but instead of fearing it, it had in fact been one of the main reasons why staying in one place was not an option. While this search enough was taxing and so far full of disappointment, the things that followed were...Frustrating

I did not mind waking for long distances, but some of the others did, and began to complain continuously. Zeena in particular.

"Uuugghhh- why are we still walking!? We passed so many places that are suitable yet you still keep looking? The sun is about to bleach my hair, my skin is drying up, and my nails are getting crusty! Can't we just take a break, or better yet give up this pathetic search?!"

Zomom wasn't any help either. He stomped towards me and panted in complaint. "Uh yeah, we've been walking for days and I'm starting to get hungry."

"Can't we rest, I'm getting sick of walking." Zor whined in a more annoying voice than usual.

This has been done ever since the day after we began our search, and at this point, I was starting to lose my patience, but they did have a point. We did pass a few caves, but I felt as if the place was not fit for our needs. Even if our surroundings were different, I still wished to find a place that will supply us with the means of destroying the blue nuisance.

Sonic the hedgehog. When he first came to Hex, I thought of him as a formidable opponent; only because he managed to defeat the other Zetis, and annoyed the fool, Dr Eggman. But as he kept thwarting my plans to get revenge, he became a thorn in my side. When I confronted him, he beat me in battle. And when I fought him at lava mountain, he defeated me even when I used my full strength. After that, my brethren and I escaped.

Now here we are, reduced to homeless zetis with wounded pride. If being defeated by a puny hedgehog is pathetic, having to seek a new home and live with that mistake is humiliating. With that in mind, I was certainly not going to allow this environmental difference hinder my progress. But besides that, if there was one positive side, it would be that Zazz and Master Zik knew better then to complain about our current situation...at least that was what I had once though before I was greeted with the bittersweet sound of silence. Taken by surprise, I turned to face the others and finally realized that one was missing.

I glanced at our surroundings, searching for anything pink or out of the ordinary, but was left empty. WIth concern building up, I faced the others once again. "Where is Zazz?" I asked oblivously.

Everyone except Master Zik shrugged in unison. I looked at my master, waiting for an answer, but the only thing he did was point his staff at a nearby tree and motioned for me to look up.

My gaze shifted to the top, and there standing at the tip of the tree, was Zazz looking left and right in a sporadic manner. I gave a sharp sigh of aggravation as I called out. "Zazz, quit sightseeing and get down here. We need to keep moving."

Instead of acknowledging, he pointed east, and yelled. "HEY BOOOOSSS! REMEMBER THAT PLACE THAT EGGMAN DISOWNED! I CAN SEE IT FROM HERE, AND IT'S STILL INTACT! THINK THAT SHOULD BE THE PLACE?!" I raised my eyebrow and began to consider the possibilities. Eggman did abandon the place, it had enough space, and better yet; it might hold the key to destroying our enemies. In all, it was exactly what we needed. "Then we will go to the location. Everyone, break time is over, let's move."

Zamanthia's POV

Their tracks were easy to follow, being in one general direction, it was all in a matter of catching up to the Deadly six. Ever since they had began their search, I have followed them, watching for any sign of trouble. Some may think of it as stalking, but I personally preferred to think of it as covertly keeping an eye on my former group.

Soon enough, I heard a series of sharp shrieks in the forest, the kind of unnatural sound you would never hear from any wild animal. I went to investigate and ran faster, but kept quiet and close to the shadows. I then spotted a fire a good distance away and a few silhouettes gathered around it's comforting warmth.

As I got closer, the silhouettes became clearer, and when I saw what they were, I came to a quiet stop. Around the fire was the Deadly 6, suffering Zeena's very verbal wrath. "All these flies and mosquitoes are ruining my hair! Why couldn't we make camp outside of this dirt paradise?!" The others rolled their eyes and seemed to ignore her dramatic complaints.

This went on for quite a while. Longer than it should have, and was left quite surprised how long Zeena could go on whining, also how long the others could tolerate it for That is until Zavok had enough. He stood up from his spot, and with frustration written on his face, snapped angrily. "It is because of your constant complaining that we had stopped! I chose a place that provides cover from the dangers of the unknown so that everyone will be safe! Be grateful that you have warmth instead of nothing!"

Zeena scowled in response but from the clenched jaw and pursed lips, she obviously chose not to argue. But the intensity of his voice is what left me at a loss. Knowing him, he was most likely trying to deal with the stress and inner turmoil within, hence the reason why he would release his anger on Zeena like that. Naturally, I assumed it was because he was still getting used to living without a home. I felt my face sadden, and slowly began walking towards the camp.

It had been years, yet even after all this time, the familiar , but painful yearning to be there, sitting with them came rushing back. It came as no surprise though, after all, I had been on my own ever since I left, and seeing them alive and well had left me in a state of not only relief, but also inner conflict and bewilderment at the fact I was feeling something that should not have been there. _They are still together, even after all these years..._ That thought brought a lot of memories. Some good... some I wanted to forget. That made me halt in my tracks.

It was that moment I realized that I couldn't...no... I would not bring myself to face them. Not yet anyway. _They might have stuck together, nut it doesn't mean they have improved for the better..._ Wistfully, I turned to walk away from the area when a very audible snap sound had rendered me frozen in place _._ My eyes widened in unexpected shock and I glanced down to find a broken branch beneath my foot. _Oh no._

Instinctively, I scurried to the closest tree and hid in it's branches, making sure to hug the largest tree limb I could find and did the only thing I could do; Hang there an wait... Quite literally like a sitting duck. I then heard haevy thudding of footsteps approaching my hiding place, and with a hint of curiosity, cautiously peeked down below. From behind the thicket of leaves, I could see a familiar broad, red and black skinned form at the bottom looking around the area I was previously in.

"Whoever is there, show yourselves!" Zavok demanded. I held my breath, hoping he would not hear me, and desperately wishing he would go away. He examined around one last time, until he went back to the camp. I waited until I could no longer hear him, and silently jumped down, being careful not to step on anymore branches. I quickly hid behind the tree and sat down in relief and slight exasperation. My eyes began to close as I let the darkness take me. It seems I will have to wait until tomorrow to see what comes next.


	2. Memories

Zamanthia's POV

 _The sunlight warmed my face as I opened my eyes, squinting them to adjust to the light. When my vision cleared, a young purple eyed zeti, with cyan blue hair, and red and black skin was in my face, greeting me with a warm smile. I smiled back and sat up, rubbing my eyes to see more clearly. My friend plopped down next to me and he inquired "You sleep well?"_

 _"Yeah, but I'm going back to sleep."_

 _His eyebrows furrowed, he stared into my sky blue eyes, and argued "But Master Zik is going to teach us something new today, and he wants ALL of us to be there."_

 _I laid back down in a relaxing manner, with a big grin on my face "I know, I know, but I would rather enjoy the morning air then learn. Why don't you take break?"_

 _He let out a sigh and asked "Why do you prefer laying around doing nothing instead of learning something new."_

 _I tilted my head to look up at him, and gave him a mischievous smile"Lay down and you'll find out."_

 _He rolled his eyes, but reluctantly did what I requested. "Now what?" He asked with hint of annoyance in his voice._

 _"Now you shut your trap and relax."_

 _"...That's it? Then this is doing-"_

 _"Just do it." I blurted out, cutting him off._

 _He breathed out and closed his eyes, his breathing went from fast to slow as a few minutes passed. I waited for a while until I looked over and snapped him out of whatever he was thinking._

 _"So, do you know now?"_

 _He gave me a quizzical look "what was I supposed to learn from laying down and doing nothing?"_

 _I frowned at this. He still didn't get understand the concept. I sat upright again and looked at him with an annoyed expression. "I'm trying to teach you how to relax."_

 _He got up with a jerk. "How is that more important then a new technique?"_

 _I sighed loudly, but then I began to gazed at the beautiful blue sky, watching as the clouds floated to the west, studying how the fresh grass frolicked in the wind, and listened to the sweet sounds of the birds. I stood up, stretched my arms, and sat back down, once again facing my stubborn friend. "Relaxing IS important because it clears your mind of troubled thoughts and helps you think of more important things in life. When you quiet your mind and focus on what matters most, then you are more aware, and you able to make ideas and stuff. But you can't do that if you have so much on your mind and become so worried about it."_

 _He looked at me with a new found sense of understanding, he then began to speak "That reminds me, can I ask you something?"_

 _"Ask away."_

 _He shifted his body to be in front of me "I was wondering, if you ever had the chance to leave...would you?_ "

 _My eyes widened with disbelief. "I would never leave my home, because I have a friend that needs me here."_

 _His head swerved to face me, his eyes filled with suspicion. "What friend?"_

 _I slightly chuckled and my eyes met his "It's you silly. We are friends right?"_

 _His eyes brightened as he replied "Always will be friends."_

 _I smiled widely as I stood up, him doing the same as we faced each other. I outstretched my hand to him "In that case, I promise never to leave your side and that we'll always be friends, in return you do the same. Shake on it if you promise Zavok."_

 _He glanced at my hand, smiling softly as his hand met mine. "I promise I will never leave your side and that I will always be your friend...Zamanthia."_

I felt my eyes began to tear up as I awakened. I hesitantly flickered my eyes open to find myself in a different place. I didn't see any blue sky with big clouds, neither did I spot any fresh grass of any sort. The only thing I saw was tall trees that covered the sky above from the ground and leaves scattered around.

 _It was only a memory_ , I thought to myself as I lifted my body from the earth. A memory from a long time ago, one that haunts me. I do not know why, but I have been having that memory replay over and over again for the past few days, and it's disturbing to see it unforgotten, as if it happened only yesterday. The events that played out yesterday came back to me, causing me to stay on high alert. I jumped behind the tree and slowly poked my head out in the open, attempting to survey my surroundings and look for my targets. I spotted their sleeping forms in the undergrowth and began to approach the campsite.

I carefully stepped over a nearby hedge and entered the camp. Zom, as always, snored quite loudly, which made it easier for me sneak in. The cloak I wore billowed in the chilly wind and I snatched it and wrapped the cloak around my body to keep myself from making a sound. _It just had to be a cold morning today?_ I asked my self as I waited for the chilly wind to cease.

When the wind subsided, I heard a small yet distinctive shiver behind me. I whipped around and my gaze fell to the ground. Zavok laid on the ground without any cover or blanket to give him warmth. I felt a slight pang of pity for the once prideful Zeti. _He must have given the last blanket to the others,_ I thought to myself as I knelt down to look at his face. His appearance changed from the last time I saw him. They all changed. Only now were they learning the cost of their mistakes, and now they suffer poverty. My eyes dimmed and I felt myself frown. I slowly took off my cloak, letting my long silver hair flow down my back, and placed it on his shivering form.

I rose to my feet and walked to the former campfire. I searched through my pouch and pulled out a bag of apples, placing it next to the burnt wood. Before I went back into the embrace of the dark forest, I turned to look at my former comrades one more time, then disappeared into the trees. Yes, they all I have changed eversince I left, but I too had changed. For the better or for worst, I did not know, but I knew one thing that wouldn't. Even if Zavok forgot our promise, I will not forget. No matter what.


	3. A day full of surprises

Zavok's POV

The feeling of warmth washed over me in a comforting embrace. I did not react at first to the sudden change of temperature, but at as the minutes went by, I began to realize that I did not have warmth before. My eyes shot open as I regained my composure. I messaged the bridge of my eyes and sat upright, only to end up looking down. I was covered with a soft black cloak, and it left me confused. How did this get here? I distinctly remembered giving the last blanket to Zor. I stood up and glanced towards the campfire and there laid a bag of apples. At that same moment, I felt my stomach growl with hunger. How convenient.

I grabbed the bag and sniffed it's contents, still unsure if it was edible. The aroma of fresh fruit was overpowering, but there was also the faint scent of something else. This scent was strange yet...familiar. My thoughts were disrupted when I heard a low grunt. "Zavok, why are you up so early in the morning, and why do you have a bag of fruit?" Master Zik asked with an exhausted yawn. I opened my mouth to answer but a tremor on the ground stopped me. If there is an unknown source of a random tremor, it can only mean one thing. Zomom is awake. "Did someone say fruit? I'm HUNGRY!" But before he could pounce, I dodged out of his reach, and put my hand in front of him, signaling for him to stop. I turned to face my master and finally answered "I found the fruit next to the campfire when I woke up. Funny thing is, this cloak was on me as well."

Master Zik had a thoughtful expression as he seemed to ponder at my reply. I took that opportunity to examine the cloak and compare it to the strange scent on the bag. The scent on the cloak had a fresh meadow breeze scent, with a hint of newly bloomed flowers. I then smelt the bag. The strange scent was very similar, except more faint. That led me to conclude that the cloak and bag came from the same person. Who, I did not know. I only am aware that the scent was something I've encountered before.

I was snapped out of my thoughts when Zor came up to me, asking "Hey boss, are you going to have those apples for yourself or what?" I reached into the bag and gave him one, to at least shut him up for a minute. Zazz and Zeena were already up; thanks to Zomom's rampaging, and I passed out the apples to the others. Surprisingly enough, none of them said a word as they ate the fruit a little too eagerly. I didn't know if the apple was good, or if they were that hungry, but it made me curious, and took a small bite. My mouth ceased chewing when the sweet taste came in contact with my tongue. The juices had a sweet flavor, with a very small amount of a sour aftertaste. The skin's texture was smooth and soft, making it easier to swallow.

 _This is way to delicious._ I thought as I took a bigger bite of the sugary morsel. There was some apples left, and I passed it around until the bag was half full. "Hey, I'm still hungry!" Zomom pouted. But his demand was left unanswered when I began climbing one of the tallest trees, to get a good view of the distance between us and the base. The expanse of the forest was quite long, from here to the base would be about a two day journey (that is if no one complains). But that wasn't the only thing that caught my eye. A very fast black, purple, and red object, sped through the trees, maneuvering every obstacle in it's path.

The first thing that came to my mind was Sonic. But as I studied the blur more closely, I noticed the differences. _If I remember correctly, Sonic is not black, purple, or red. He was never even that fast._ The blur took a sharp turn and began to head in our direction. I felt my eyes widen as I dropped down, telling the others to hide in the bushes. Luckily, they did what I asked, and just in time as well. Once all of us took cover, the blur ran past our hiding spot, and before I could blink; it suddenly stopped. I look toward the place it stood, observing the mysterious being, as it's back was turned. The purple and red fins on it's arms and ankles shone with a deadly light, it's devil like tail swishing back and forth as it placed it's hands on their hips. The being looked about 4'6, with short, spiky black hair, a slender body with thick legs, and strange swirl markings on their grayish black body. My gaze shifted to the head, perched on top were 2 long wavy, black, purple, and red horns.

 _Wait...that can only mean, Another Zeti?!_ I thought. The Zeti pulled out a strange device and started speaking through it. "Boss, I scouted the whole forest area, and I haven't seen Baldy mcnosehair any where. Can I go back to base and call it quits?" _A female Zeti?_ I couldn't hear the other speaker, but the Female zeti seemed to dislike what the other person said. "WELL EXCUSE ME FOR COMPLAINING! I'VE BEEN RUNNING AROUND ALL DAY AND NOW YOU TELL ME TO DO IT AGAIN?! I MIGHT BE REALLY FAST, BUT IT DOESN'T GIVE YOU THE EXCUSE TO WORK ME LIKE SOME SLAVE!" The shouts went quiet when the Female began to intently listen to the device.

"Fine...but once I finish searching the Desert sector, you owe me a week vacation. Promise Zam...good, I'll contact you if I find anything, Zal over and out." The zeti now known as Zal added, shutting off the small device. I went to take a closer look when my horn caught a branch, causing the bush to move. Zal whipped around, her mismatched purple and red irises scanning the bush. She gritted her fanglike teeth and ran out of the forest, leaving behind a trail of fire.

Who's the mysterious new Zeti that just came in the picture. Read the next chapter to find out.:)


	4. Shelter and Past

Zavok's POV

As we continued towards our destination, my mind became more focused on the strange appearances of the cloak, food, and another one of our species. What's more, this Zeti works for another. That bothered me greatly as the hours dragged by. _Is it possible that this Zeti knows the whereabouts of more of our kind._ But as the trek went on, I slowly dismissed the thought.

The journey took only two days, and when we neared lava mountain, that is where the trouble began. The mountain had just experienced a lava flow before we arrived, and the magma was still flowing. This posed to be a problem, because it blocked the main trail to the top. We were left with no choice but to make camp for the night. I had to use the cloak in order for me to sleep better, but it disturbed me for some reason. The scent didn't help at all. It only aggravated me even more. Though I disliked the fact that our search was stalled, at least I didn't have to worry about the cold.

Zamanthia's POV

"Zam, are we there yet?

I turned around to face my companion, who only gave me an annoyed expression.

"Zaluna, for the thirtieth time, we are ALMOST there. Your constant questioning is NOT helpful."

She crossed her arms, and silently pouted. But she then had a toothy grin as she walked up to me.

"You know, I've been thinking...you obviously care a great deal about the deadly six's well being. Is it possible that you care more for one of them, the leader perhaps..."

I froze in place, my face one of pure shock. I felt my face heat up, and whipped around, to see her with a devilish smirk.

"T-that's not true! I'm only helping them out. I-i just want to make sure they are alright. Besides where did get that idea?!"

"Call it a girl's intuition." Zaluna answered with mischief.

I ignored her comment and kept my pace, my face still red. I was so caught up into forgetting the nervous feeling in my stomach, I didn't notice myself walking towards the end of one of the trails.

Zaluna's POV

Success! I just made the boss blush as red as a tomato. But my victory was short lived when I saw Zam headed for a cliff, without any sense of direction. Before she could reach the edge, I sped towards her, grabbed her arm and pulled her back. I quickly let go, knowing she would be very irritated after what I said, but her reaction surprised me. She slowly faced me with an emotionless face. "Thank you." Her voice cracked as she continued down the trail.

The feeling of triumph dissolved and became a sad one. Did I say something mean? I didn't mean it if I offended her. I caught up with her and stepped in front of her, placing my hand on her shoulder "Look, if I offended you with what I said, I'm sorry. It's just I don't know much about you, and I'm trying to pry it out of you. Please forgive me."

A glimmer of light came back to her eyes as she said "It is alright, you didn't offend me. I just reacted without thinking. But you have a point. You told me a lot about yourself and I have not done the same. But if you like, I can tell you."

I grinned widely and jumped onto a nearby rock, sitting cross legged "Yes please."

Zamanthia smiled and sat next to me. "Alright, but to know my former affiliation with the deadly six, I will have to tell you of the past. Now listen closely."

Zamanthia's Past

 _When the planet Hex was once plentiful, there were are race of beings who protected the beautiful Paradise. This race was called the Zetis, and it was their job to protect and nurture the blessed planet. Many were guardians, and had the responsibility to train the new generations the ways of their people. But alas, an ancient darkness had awakened during this peaceful era, and sought to destroy their home. The Zeti guardians fought bravely against the darkness, but the ongoing battle took so many lives, that the entire race nearly went extinct. The battle continued, until the darkness was finally subdued. But the planet suffered greatly, and the lives that were taken could not be restored._

 _The survivors were left with no choice but to disperse. Some became rouges, the Zetis that were most likely to die on their own. But most of the Zetis formed groups, as it was believed to be the only chance of survival back then. But while many stayed together to have a better chance at staying alive, some banded together to continue protecting their once beautiful planet. Eons went by, giving the planet time to heal, but most of the Zetis had already lost themselves to hatred and vengeance, completely forgetting their ancestors teachings, and instead would bring pain upon those who defied them._

 _One guardian in particular, found orphans, and raised them, teaching them to follow the same path of destruction...I was one of those orphans, and five of the deadly six are the other orphans that were found. Master Zik was the one who found us, and trained us to survive. At the time, I believed they were the only family I had, and that devastation was my destiny. But as I watched the suffering of others, I decided that the way of revenge was something I could not follow. One day, I deserted them to find a better life._

 _Those many years I have lived on my own, I have learned so much about the importance in life, and unlocked much of my potential. But no matter what I did, I couldn't help but miss them, and sometimes, I longed for that life I had as a child._

I tilted my head to the side to hide my shameful expression. Zaluna stood from her spot and walked towards me, placing her hand on my shoulder once again "...You gave up your only family to find a new life?"

I nodded slowly.

Zaluna smiled and replied "You know, your lucky to have a family to look after. Can I tell you a secret?"

"Of course Zal."

"I never knew my parents, and when you found me, I lied when I said that my family was dead. Truth is, I don't know if they are even alive."

I embraced her in a hug, and said "Zal...I want you to promise me something. Please promise that when you find someone who genuinely cares for you, don't ever leave their side, and do not make the same mistake I have done."

Zaluna's grasp became a little tighter as she answered "I promise."

I let go, smiling softly, and walked over to the camp, intently watching the six Zeti's sleep. "When the time comes, we will reveal ourselves to them, but for now, we must make sure that their motives change for the better."

Zaluna only yawned quietly and said "You do that, but I am getting some shut eye. I suggest you do the same."

I heard her body slump down so suddenly, I turned around, and saw her rudely snoring. I silently chuckled at the display and laid down, closing my tired eyes. Little did I know that someone was watching us, with an evil glint in there eyes.


	5. Rebuilding

Third person POV

Master Zik was the first one to awaken as the heat of the magma seemed to burn his very skin. He grabbed his staff and went towards the now rock like lava covering the path, examining the hardened rock. He carefully tapped his staff, checking for any signs of liquid heat. When the staff didn't burn, he aimed his stick, waving it in the air, preparing to strike the rock.

As soon as he brought it down, the rocks broke into many pieces, causing a loud sound. Zavok jolted awake, as did the others, staring at their master, then to the now broken obstacle.

"We are almost there. Time to get up and move." Master Zik said, as he continued down the trail.

The other Zetis eagerly followed their master, but Zavok caught a glimpse of movement near the rocks. He headed to the place to investigate, until Master Zik yelled "Zavok, don't fall behind!"

Zavok looked back at the spot, still not convinced that there was nothing there, but reluctantly ran up towards his comrades. As soon as Zavok left, a pair of wavy black, purple, and red horns slowly peeked out from behind a large rock formation, timidly scanning for any sign of the Deadly six.

When the coast was clear, Zaluna jumped out from their hiding spot, stretching her arms, while Zamanthia walked into the open. "Boy, I was beginning to think they'd never leave." Zaluna yawned deeply, stretching her legs.

Zamanthia walked up to her with an irritated expression "It's because of your carelessness that we were nearly caught." She scolded.

Zaluna waved her hands in a bored manner "Yeah, yeah but he didn't find us, so we're OK boss."

"Next time, we won't be so lucky."

Zaluna shrugged, ignoring her comments, and walked towards the trail, her tail waving back in forth. "Are we gonna follow or what?"

Zamanthia rolled her eyes, but followed the devil like zeti.

Zavok's POV

I do not know why haven't felt like this before, but I felt as if we were being followed. For the past 20 minutes of walking, every once and a while I'd turn around to make sure. A few times, Master Zik would tell me that it is just a figment of my imagination. But no matter what I did, the feeling kept nagging me, to the point when I kept checking was on instinct. _Is this what they call paranoia?_

Soon, the ruins of Eggman's former base of operations came into view, smoke rising from the ashes. I caught a glimpse of a small terminal, and picked it up from the wreckage, wiping away the dirt and grim from the screen. I pressed a small button on the side of it, and the screen lit up. _It still works?_

I diligently began to type, searching for a blueprint, and when I found it, it was time to build. Zazz collected any sort of welder, Zomom and Zor gathered large materials, Zeena had to find any source of power for the place, while me and Master Zik planned the layout of the building.

It took 2 and a half weeks to complete, and during that time period, I couldn't help but feel prideful and triumphant at the fact that as soon as we finish, we will be able to have the means of destroying our enemies.

Soon, the base was complete, and we all took shelter. The building looked similar to the old one, but we made a few minor changes to the inner structure. Instead of the whole place covered with technology, it was made to suite our needs. But of course, it had a stash of weapons that we salvaged from the wreckage.

The last thing to repair was the devastating weapon Eggman left behind; The life extractor. I remembered when we used it to try and destroy the Earth, even if the plan had failed, the extractor was the only thing that showed promising results.

All that is needed now was to add an engine, the switch, and the screen to show progress.

It was midnight, and I was still up. I was making the finishing touches when Master Zik came up to me saying "Zavok, while I am proud at your plan for revenge, I must confess that I have my doubts. The planet Hex is peaceful ever since that battle, and I believe you should take the opportunity to replenish your energy. After all, you are the one with lack of sleep."

I paused and contemplated the thought. He was right, I barely had any shut eye for that past few days, and that can be a bad thing. "Alright, I'll shut the system off until dawn."

I placed the datapad on the table and headed for my room.

Zamanthia's POV

"Zaluna, be quiet!"

Zal gritted her teeth in aggravation, quietly mumbling certain words while stubbornly following my lead. The newly rebuilt base was a simple design, one where you couldn't get lost easily. The harder part is finding the control room without a map, and to not get caught. The only reassuring fact was that everyone was fast asleep.

I had to wait for Zavok to go to bed, which had it's complications, but he finally did. Now I snuck out of camp, trying to see something for myself. Trying being the key word. Zaluna caught me sneaking out and literally annoyed me to let her come. And I quote "You're going to break into their base without my help?! Take me with you!"

Quite ironic how she now regrets her decision. We then found a large door at the end of the hall. I hacked the code and the door opened without a sound. We both walked into the dimmly lit room, taking a few glances around until I spotted a small datapad on the table, I picked it up and turned it on, the screen glowing brightly as various files appeared on the screen.

A large box on the right caught my eye, and I pressed it. A blueprint of a strange machine appeared, making me nervous as I read the description. I gasped, my eyes wide with shock when it clicked. "Oh no."


	6. Theft

Zamanthia's POV

The emotion on my face changed dramatically as I studied the blueprint. How could they do such a thing just when they get a chance at a new life. They had a choice, a chance, and they just threw it away for revenge. I felt my heart breaking, slowly but painfully, my eyes narrowing, clutching the datapad so hard, it snapped in half. I balled my fists, holding back my temper as best as I could, to keep myself from causing a ruckus. "Zam, you OK?" Zaluna cautiously inquired.

I shut my eyes, breathing slowly inorder to calm myself down. Zaluna carefully tiptoed towards me and tapped me lightly. After my last breath, I faced her with a stoic expression, my eyes glowing an electric blue. "Zaluna...there is something we must do."

Zor's POV

This stinks. Why did I have to choose a room near Zom, I could barely get a wink of sleep last night. Aside from the other small noises I heard every once in awhile, Zom's snoring over powered them all. I nearly jumped at the sudden sound of metal clanking on the floor. I walked out of my room, curious as to what was the source. I ended up at the control room, funny thing was, the door was left open. _I thought I was the first one awake._

I entered slowly, tiptoeing at first, then casually strolled. I then caught a glimpse of the broken datapad, picking it up for only moment, then letting the shattered glass fall to the ground. Frantically, I looked around, spotting the control panel and...no switch. "Oh crap, Zavok is gonna kill me."

Zavok's POV

"THE SWITCH IS WHAT?!" I yelled with such anger, everyone backed away in fear.

"T-the switch is gone, I-I saw it myself." Zor stuttered, bringing his hands in front of his face in defense.

I was furious, not only because the switch for the life extractor was missing, but at the thought that something...or someone would dare get in my way. I grit my teeth, my eye twitching ever so slightly, but none of the others left the room, most of them afraid of what I'd do next. If this person likes stealing, then they must be afraid of what would happen if they were caught. That gave me an idea.

My angered expression changed into a calculating look, thinking of my next course of action. I then spoke "This thief will be punished, in due time...but for now, we will make a new switch." Everyone hastily nodded, running to their rooms as soon as the door opened. Master Zik was the only one who did not leave the room, walking up to me, giving me a curious look. "What are you planning?"

I faced my former master, a smirk visible on my face as I replied "I am going to make sure nothing gets in my way."

Zamanthia's POV

"I never knew you could ever do one bad thing, but I must be wrong." Zaluna joked...for the tenth time.

I held the switch, taking it to the top of the volcano to melt the piece of scrap, and now I have someone to annoy me along the way. Oh, the wonders of karma. I brought the switch to my face, squinting my eyes so I could examine it more closely. This piece of scrap was supposed to ignite a devastating weapon? If Zavok was that desperate to get payback, I would almost have felt sorry for him...almost.

As soon as we reached the top, the lava was somewhat dormant, but the heat was the only thing that posed as a danger. That, or if someone accidentally slipped into the volcano. I walked to the edge, and did not hesitate when I threw the switch into the lava. I watched as it fell into the scolding hot magma, sinking to the point where I could see it no more. I then began my trek down the mountian of fire, thinking of the other possibilities. _Even if the switch is gone, they will most likely build another one. Looks like I will have to take something else._

Zaluna suddenly appeared in front of me, crossing her arms while a smile grew on her face. "Let me guess, we are gonna take something else aren't we?"

I nodded "Yes, but this time, I'll be sure to completely disable his plans."

Zavok's POV

The moon rose hours ago, now it was high in the sky, but no one was fast asleep. We all stayed in the shadows outside of the base, waiting for our culprit to make the first move. The plan was simple; once our thief, or thieves, take the engine, they will exit through the front door, and then we all will ambush them. The complicated part was not only to time it just right, but to stay awake until then.

Surprisingly enough, as it passed midnight, everyone stayed awake, anxiously waiting until the thief went for the bait. Though it was already close for the sun to rise, nothing came out. That is until a while later, just when we were about to give up, the entrance opened, revealing two silhouettes, one holding the engine, while the other stood beside their partner with their hands behind their back.

It was still dark, so I could not tell their gender, until the one with the engine whispered in a feminine voice "You know, that was a little too easy. I'm guessing they are REALLY knocked out if they didn't hear us, right Zam?"

 _That voice...it must be the zeti from before._ _And if that is "Zam", then that means that is Zal's boss._ I thought, watching the pair walk towards the volcano.

"Good point Zaluna, we best be on our guard. But let us first worry about this engine, then concern ourselves with the deadly six." A stern, yet calm, feminine voice replied.

I rose my eyebrow at this. _Another female? Her voice is strange, yet it sounds...familiar._ I quickly dissmissed this, shifting my focus back to the thieves. Before they had the chance, I signaled for us to take action, all of us jumping right behind the pair "You best give that back." I stated.

Both flinched, but quickly ran, the fast one going at the same pace as her boss. All of us gave chase, the pair heading towards the volcano.


	7. Differences

Zavok's POV

Both were fast, much faster then any of us. The top of the volcano soon came into view, it's lava spewing from all sides. Suddenly, a large stream of lava blocked their path, causing them to stop in their tracks. We caught up with them in a short time, preparing to attack them if needed. "Give back the engine, or else..." I threatened.

At that moment, the sun rose into the sky, shining it's rays to create light. The pair's forms became more visible, revealing the leader's shocking appearance. She was taller then her partner, mostly silver, with black streaks in her hair that parted to the right, the hair length reaching to her knees, waving at the bottom part. Two long black, blue and white horns stuck out, her clenched hands tipped with blue claws. She had a slender upper body, with a silver and black dress with no sleeves, but parted on her left side to reveal long legs that had claws for a highheel. A thick tail waved behind her, her white lips pursed into a frown, glaring at me with cold, blue irises.

I studied her more closely, until her appearance triggered something within my memory. Something I've forgotten long ago. I took a step back, shocked at this revelation. _No...it couldn't be._ I opened my mouth to speak, one sentence escaped "Zamanthia...is that you?"

If she was surprised, she didn't show it, all she did was reply coldly "You do remember me after all. How quaint."

The others were without words, but I began to feel angry. She deserted us long ago, breaking her promise we made when we were younger. I felt furious that she left us...that she left me behind when she said she wouldn't. Now she shows herself again, acting as if I done something to her, and tries to ruin my plans. I stomped towards her, snarling until I stopped midway "How dare you try to take what is mine you traitor. You think I have done wrong, well you are just as guilty as me. You abandoned us, and you broke our promise. Why should you have the audacity to steal?" I accused.

Zamanthia seemed a little taken aback, but hid her reaction. She finally replied "I left because I could not destroy things just out of revenge. I found that what I did was wrong, and when I could not get you to stop, I left."

"You still think we have done wrong, many have tried to stop us, but only one succeeded. What makes you think you can?"

Zamanthia smiled with confidence "Unlike you, I study my enemy not only on skill, but on how they react as well."

I contemplated the answer, until I replied "Fine, let us test that theory."

I ran toward her, and with my fist raised, brought it down where she stood. But she quickly jumped out of the way, lunged at me and kicked me. I stumbled back a little, but then tried to hit her with my tail. This time, she flipped over me, and kicked me harder in the back. I fell forward, and brought my fist to the side, catching her off guard. She was sent flying, until she stopped herself, getting back to her feet in an instant. She sped towards me, and quickly uppercut, catching my face. To admit it hurt was not the describable way to put it. It was painful. She prepared to attack again, a slight hesitation in the punch, giving me the opportunity to get her in the torso. She flew towards the edge, stopping herself from falling off, but once she recovered, she fell to her knees, her hand on the place where I punched, coughing harshly.

I slowly walked to her, preparing to finish the job, but stood in front of her for a moment. I wanted to punish her, to make her feel pain like I did, but one look at her pained expression, that look of suffering on her face erased all will to finish it. A cry of pain snapped me from my thoughts. Turning to the source, I saw Zal lying on the ground, barely moving. Before I knew what was happening, a felt a sharp, painful, ringing in my ears, growing with intensity by the very second. Everyone, including Zam began writhing in agony, screams of pain filling the air.

Through all the noise, I heard the ledge Zamanthia was on crack, breaking off from the ledge, letting her fall to her possible death. But no screams were heard, until an ugly, familiar face popped out from where she fell. Dr. Eggman floating on his eggmobile, the cacophonic shell in his hand. But my gaze shifted to the crystal like cage at the bottom, my eyes widening with shock. Zamanthia was unconscious, trapped in the diamond shaped crystal. Eggman cackled, sneering "We meet again Zavok. I'm sure you wouldn't mind if I borrowed her."

I was still recovering from the sensation, and couldn't answer back. He laughed once again, pointing at me with a prideful expression "Remember when I said before, that I will destroy everything you love...well I intend to keep that promise, starting with her." He then flew away, with Zamanthia in tow. And I could do nothing about it.


	8. Revelations

Zavok's POV

As soon as Eggman disappeared with Zamanthia, the ringing subsided, regaining my conscience and checked to see if everyone was alright. The majority said they felt dizzy, but mostly fine. I then attempted to check on the knocked out Zal. She had signs of burn marks, mostly around her neck area, but it wasn't fatal. I checked her pulse, her heartbeat was slow, but then began to beat faster, soon at an alarming rate.

Suddenly, her eyes shot open, her eyes narrowing at me menacingly, and punched me so hard, I fell back a few steps. She jumped on her feet, glaring death at me as she came closer, grabbing my left horn, and brought me down to her level. "You stupid idiot! Look what you have done! Oh wait, you can't cause she's gone!"

I could only stare, but when I opened my mouth to reply, she cut me off, scolding "It's because of you that she's hurt, It's your fault she's gone! She tried to help you, and this is what you do?! You are seriously,one, selfish bastard to think she abandoned you, It's because of your spiteful and vengeful ways she left, going away from all that actually helped her find peace! But she risked all that to watch over you, to make sure you were at least happy! But you became vengeful, so she tried to stop you, to only have you taking all that anger out on her, and now she's gone because YOU DON'T HAVE THE GUTS TO FORGIVE!"

She turned away from me, sitting on a nearby rock with her knees to her face. "You should even count yourself lucky that she still considered you all as her family."

I stood frozen in place, the feeling of guilt passed through, soon replaced with astonishment. She...still called us family? Zam gave up her life of peace so that she could help us, to try and guide us to the right path. Then that means she never broke her promise afterall...but it also meant I have done her...wrong, a foreign but true statement. But it wouldn't be for long.

I walked down the trail, heading back to the base, with a plan in mind. A flash of wind passed me, Zal appeared in front of my with a pissed off expression. "Where do you think you're going." She snarled.

I sighed, with a determined look visible on my face, answered "I'm going to fix my mistake."


	9. Game Plan

Zavok's POV

I typed away at the main computer and hoped to find a map of the locations of Eggman's bases. I was suprised to not only find it's location, but it's objective as well. Zaluna, though had much to hate me for, helped me with finding it, supplying quantities of information about his whereabouts, and updates on his recent activities. Her reasons for assistance were unknown, but I believed it was either she wanted to save her friend, or it was because she hated Eggman even more then she does me. Possibly both.

A blue print was placed ontop of a large table, Zaluna pointing at the top of the blue print that was the front of the structure. "Alright listen up, most of the robots will be posted at the front entrance. Eggman will be expecting us to break in at the front, but we have to catch him by surprise. There is a back entrance, with only two robot guards, it's one of our best options to infiltrate through that one. Some one has to get rid of the guards, allowing everyone else inside. I decided Zazz will do that one. Now once inside, the first room will have motion detectors, tracking any sort of **visible** movement and sets off an alarm if it catches anything..."

Zazz interrupted her plan, and said "Then how's anyone gonna get past it? If it was just me, I'd RIP THE WHOLE PLACE APART!"

Zaluna grabbed a nearby pipe and threw it at him, keeping him from continuing his ranting. "Maybe instead of interrupting, you should try shutting your trap and listening more often." Zaluna seethed through her gritting teeth.

I figured the plan was getting a little off track, deciding to catch her attention, and asked curiously "How do you know so well of the layout?"

She grinned mischievously, her eyes giving off a devil like glint "Well...I did sneak in there a few times, in fact I just snuck in there a few moments ago, and I have to admit, his security stinks."

We could only gape at her, shock being the only thing we could express. Zaluna only smirked, seeming to like our reaction. "But anyway, that's beside the point. Back to the motion detector room, I'm gonna run past the detectors, get to the panel for it, and turn it off. They can't catch my movement, so I'm better suited for it. But because it's not just me sneaking in, it complicates things."

This time Zeena stepped up, and inquired in her usual spiteful way "What if something goes wrong? I bet you don't even have some sort of plan B."

Zaluna slammed her fist on the table in frustration, and in anger, reacted "You wanna doubt MY plan, go ahead! In fact why don't you idiots make a plan, since your plans obvoiusly worked SSSOOOO well before!"

She struck a nerve, causing everyone, especially Zeena, to turn their heads away in shame and possibly embarassment. Her anger suddenly switched to an assertive expression "That's what I thought, but allow me to remind you why we are sneaking in. Our objective is to retrieve Zamanthia, NOT rush in there recklessly inorder to gain revenge, it's also not a way to spite Egg head. Don't forget, I was the one spying on Mc Nosehair while you guys were creating a plan to get revenge, so don't dictate to me on what I need to plan out...Got it?"

The others glanced at each other in reluctance, but slowly nodded in agreement. I also nodded, acknowledging that she made very good points. "Continue Zaluna."

She snapped her face back to the blue print and once again began "Now then, before I was rudely **Interrupted** , plan B is if I get caught by the sensors on accident, I can take on the form of Eggface and shut it down without trouble. Once we get past that one, there's gonna be a hallway with four camera's, there will be two on each side, each 5ft away from each other on the ceiling at the entrance to the hallway. Zik here will immobilize the cameras with his abilities. We get to the door at the very back, and on the other side is where he keeps Zamanthia. We get her out, and if possible, set the base for self destruct. But that's only the easy part. If Eggman's there, he can use the cacophonic shell, or...use Zamanthia as the hostage card."

I clenched my fists at this, one thought swirling in my head. _If he lays one finger on her, I will make him suffer a slow, yet the most painful death imaginable._


End file.
